I was watching Sarah Richardson on Sarah 101 the other night (thank you, DVR), and one small comment she made stuck with me: after a room makeover she often uses between 10 and 14 different textile fabrics in a single room. At first that sounded excessive. Ten to fourteen different fabrics in one living room? That felt like a large number for anyone who isn’t a professional designer.
Then I thought about what she actually meant. She wasn’t only counting patterned accent pillows; she was including upholstery fabrics for sofas and chairs, curtain panels, ottoman covers, throws, rugs and more. When you add up all the surfaces that display fabric, it becomes easy to reach that total without even trying. Late that night as I watched the episode, I decided to inventory the textiles in our living room to see how many we’d unintentionally layered.
Here’s what I found in our space:
Karl the Sectional’s dark gray upholstery from Ikea = 1
The faux leather seat on our desk chair from Target = 2
The curtain fabric we bought at Ikea in April = 3
The linen-like ottoman fabric from Marshall’s = 4
The faux sheepskin throw draped over the ottoman from Ikea = 5
The green zebra-pattern pillows from West Elm = 6
The printed pillows I tea-stained (ordered from an Etsy shop) = 7
The textured felt pillows from Crate & Barrel = 8
The branch-motif pillow from Ikea = 9
The faux cowhide pillow from Ikea = 10
The shag mohair pillow from Target = 11
The champagne-toned metallic pillows from Bed Bath & Beyond = 12
Twelve distinct fabrics. I was surprised, especially since many of them are tone-on-tone or primarily textural rather than wildly patterned. Because we already have a colorful rug and bold artwork, most of the textile choices are subtle and layered rather than competing for attention. But taken together they create depth: smooth leathers next to nubby linens, plush faux fur next to crisp curtain fabric, and printed accents punctuating mostly neutral upholstery.
This tiny inventory exercise made two things clear. First, textile layering doesn’t have to be deliberate to be effective. You don’t need a designer’s training to combine multiple fabrics successfully; often, everyday choices add up to an intentionally curated look. Second, a careful mix of textures and tones can make a room feel cohesive even when the number of fabrics seems high. Designers like Sarah Richardson are masters at orchestrating those relationships, but any homeowner can apply the same principles on a smaller scale.
If you’re thinking about trying this at home, start by assessing the surfaces that carry fabric in your room: upholstery, window treatments, pillows, throws, rugs and any decorative fabric accessories. Aim for a balance of texture and scale—smooth versus nubby, small pattern versus large pattern, solid versus printed—to keep the overall palette harmonious. Neutral bases with a few patterned or colorful accents often read as intentional rather than cluttered.
I’m curious: how many fabrics are in your living room? Is it close to that 10–14 range Sarah mentioned, significantly lower, or much higher? Sometimes we don’t notice how many textiles are at play until we really look. Share your number and any combinations you love—there’s always something to learn from how other people layer fabrics.
Also, side note: Sarah Richardson always looks impeccably put together. Her blazers and glossy hair are basically part of her signature style, and it’s hard not to admire how effortlessly she ties a room together while looking so polished.